Apparatus por separating ore materials prom each other



r. B. FLINN. APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING ORE MATERIALS FROM EACH OTHER. APPLICATION FILED IIAIL l9 IBIS.

1,314,31 6. PatentedAug. 26,1919.

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APPLICATION FILED HAB- I9 I915.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. A

FREDERICK B. FLINN, OF ORANGE, JERSEY, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 PNEUMATIC PROCESS FLOTATION COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORA- MON OF DELAWARE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

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Patented Aug. 26, 1919.

Application filed March 19, 1915. Serial lilo. 15,560.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, F-nnonmon B. FLINN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Separating Ore Materials from Each Other, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyin drawing.

his invention relates to an apparatus for separating the metalliferous particles from the non-metalliferous particles of an ore mass. The apparatus is of the general class by means of which air is introduced into a fluid pulp mass in the form of relatively large bubbles which are caused to rise through the mass and to separate the metalliferous particles therefrom. A number of forms of apparatus have already been proposed. One proposal was to introduce the air into the bottom of the tank in which the can be horiaontally projected.

separation takes place by means of a plurality of perforated pipes arranged parallel to each other in a horizontal plane. I have found, however, that under some circumstances it is diificult to secure a sufficient volume of air and to properly distribute it by means of a single series of pi es such as has been heretofore proposed. One of the objects of my present invention is to provide means whereby the volume of air can be increased without changing the size of the bubbles and without detrimentally aifecting their distribution.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby, for a given number of pipes, air can be more evenly distributed and supplied in smaller streams.

Mechanisms constructed in accordance with earlier proposals have been limited in capacity because of the necessarily limited horizontal cross area of the tank resulting from the feed devices which were used. Most ofv the tanks were cylindrical and the ore was fed radially inward from the periphery, or radially outward from the center, or both inward and outward. But it will be clear that with a cylindrical tank the diameter is necessarily limited, even when the feed is both inward and outward to four times the distancethrough which the pulp By my through which But the length of the tank can be increased present invention I provide a rectangular .tank andwith it provide means for feeding the material horizontally inward from two .opposite sides and also for feeding it horizontally outward from the central longitudinal plane.

With this construction the width of the tank (like the diameter of the cylindrical tank mentioned above) is limited to four times the horizontal distance the pulp can be projected.

indefinitely, and thus a unit of any desired capacity can be constructed.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown several constructions embodying the invention, but it will be understood that other embodiments of the invention can be used without departing from its spirit.

Of the drawin Figure 1 is a p an view.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view with a part broken away.

Fig. 4: is a detailed view showing one of the air feed pipes.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing a modified form of construction.

Fig. 6 is another illustration of part of an air Pipe, j 1

Fig.7 illustrates fied apparatus.

Fig. 8 is @a werticalsectional view on a largerscalfe showing a modified construction of tank and adjuncts.

' -F-ig. 9 'is a horizontal section through a part of another 'modi- Fi 8. I

l ig; 10 is an enlarged sectional view of a through which the inflow- The tank 1 is rovided with a bottom all of the parts of w ich are inclined. This inclination can be secured in any of several ways, but for purposes of illustration I have shown the tank as formed with a series of inverted pyramidal sections 2, 2 adjoining each other. At the apexes of thepyramids there are provided discharge apertures with which are connected the discharge pipes 3, 3 having valves 4, 4. The pipes 3 are preferably flexible, or at least adwstable so that their outer ends can be raised or lowered to regulate the discharge.

For sup lying air to the tank in finely divided condition a plurality of sets of pipes are provided one above the other, two such sets being shown for urposes of illustration. As shown, the p1pes of the lower set marked 5 extend transversely of the tank and through the walls thereof. They are arranged parallel to each other and close together. The pipes 5 extend through the walls of the tank and at the outside communicate with longitudinal headers or mani folds 6, 6 which are connected with a suitable source of air supply. The pipes of the up or set marked 7 extend longitudinally at right angles to the pipes 5 and are similarly arranged parallel to each other and close together. At the ends of the tank they extend through the walls and are connected with headers or manifolds 8, 8, which, like the manifolds 6, 6, are connected with a suitable source of air supply. The pi es 5 and 7 are provided with series of smal perforations extending from end to end, these being pref erably arranged at the lower sides of the pipes. It will be seen that when air is supplied through the manifolds 6, 6 and 8, 8 it will flow into and through the pipes 5 and 7 and will emerge through the apertures therein in the form of verg fine streams. When liquid is present in t e tank this finely divided air will form bubbles which will rise. It is obvious that the amount of air which can be introduced through one set of pipes is limited, especially when suflicient space is left between the pipes to ermit the free vertical movement of liqui And 'it has been found that, under many circumstances, more air must be rovided than it is practicable to supply t rough one set of pipes. For this reason the pluralit of sets of pipes have been provided at angles to each other, thus multiplying the air supply for the given total cross area which is left free for the vertical movement of liquid.

For feeding the ore pulp to the receptacle 1, devices are provided which extend longitudinally of the tank. There is provided a central feed device 9 and, under some circumstances, this single device may be suflicient, but usually the tank is of such a width that the pulp cannot be distributed over its horizontal cross area from the center. When ing bubbles laterally as indicated by such a wide tank is used, supplemental side feeding devices 10, 10 are provided. The central feed device 9 is in the form of a trough extending from end to end of the tank and having vertical side walls 9, 9. The trough is open at the bottom and to provide for the horizontal distribution of the pulp, the distributer 11 is provided which is preferably triangular in vertical section. It is mounted immediately beneath the trough so as to provide narrow slots 11, 11 through which the pulp is forced out horizontally.

The inclined bottom surfaces of the distributer 11 serve to deflect upwardly movwithout breaking them. At the end of the tank are feed reservoirs 12, 12 with which the trough 9 communicates at its ends. Preferably each reservoir 12 is provided with an extension 12 separated from the main part by the slotted partition 12*. At 13, 13 the feed reservoirs are provided with overflow spouts. The pulp can be fed to the reservoirs 12, 12 (preferably the sections 12, 12 thereof) by means of pipes 14, 14.

, When supplemental side feed devices are necessary they are preferably constructed 10, 10 being in the form of horizontal ducts extending longitudinally of the tank and communicating at their ends with the aforesaid reservoirs 12, 12. Preferably each duct 10 has its upper wall inclined downward and outwar as indicated at 10, and its bottom wall inclined downward and inward as indicated at 10". At the bottom of the duct 10 and adjacent the lower edge of the wall 10 is a feed slot 15, preferably in the same horizontal plane as the aforesaid feed slots 11, 11. Through these slots 15, 15, the pulp is forced horizontally outward in the opposite directions to the pulp which passes out through the slots 11, 11".

When the apparatus is in operation the pulp is allowed to accumulate to a depth approximating that indicated by the line ww of Fig. 2, a continual discharge taking lace through the pipes 3, 3, and a continual orizontal inflow taking place through the slots 11", 11 and 15, 15. The air introduced through the pipes 5, 5 and 7, 7 forms relatively large bubbles horizontally distributed over the entire cross area of the tank and these rise relatively rapidly through the ulp selecting metalliferous particles and lifting them to the exclusion of the non-metalliferous particles, in the way now well known. The bubbles as they reach the line wm emerge from the fluid column of pulp and continue upward in the form of a bubble column. The side walls of the tank are cut away at 16, 16 to form horizontal ledges over which the bubbles constituting the hubble column and carrying the metalliferous broken down) provided adjacent the central feed trou of the tank gineer, upon particles, can flow horizontally by gravity. For receiving and collecting these bubbles which flow horizontall out of'the tank, there are provided at t e sides of the tank the collectors 17, 17, each having a bottom made in oppositely inclined sedtions 18, 18 and leading'to' a discharge spout 19. From the spouts 19v the bubbles (now largely can be conveyed to any other suitable apparatus for subsequent treatment. ,Preferably deflecting boards 20, 20 liar; These boards extend longitudinally o the tank from end to end and can be inclined as indicated by dotted lines-in Fig. 2 Preferably the boards are pivoted at their lower edges so as to permit them to assume vertical positions, or any desired angular positions; When adjusted to angular positions, as shown in Fig. 2, they serve to de flect the upwardly moving bubbles outward and to assist them in reaching the overflow lines at 16, 16. Q

It will be understood that the fresh pulp can be projected horizontally through only a short distance from feed devices such as those here shown. hen the circumstances are such that' only a relatively narrow tank is desired it may be possible to efiect the feeding entirely from the central feed device 9, that is, it may be possible'to project the pulp horizontally outward from the feed device 9 to cause it to reach the parts of the tank adjacent the side walls. But when a wider tank is desired the central feed device has to be supplemented by side feed devices such as those shown. With bothcentral and side feed devices the incoming pulp can be projected horizontally both outward and inward, thus making it possible for the tank to be twice as wide as is possible with only the central feed device. In other words, the maximum width is four times the maximum distance through which the incoming pulp can be projected horizontally through the ulp column. It will be seen that while the width of the tank is limited for the reasons stated the length can be increased indefinitely when the feed devices are constructed as shown and described. The enbeing given the required capacity of a unit, and knowing the cross area of tank necessary for each unit of capacity, can readily calculate the length which the tank must have to give the desired ca acity. I believe myself to have been the rst to provide an apparatus of this character in which the maximum width is attained and in which the length can be indefinitely increased.

In Fighfi and 6 I have shown a construction which is modified as concerns the means for introducing the air, it bein similar otherwise to the construction y described. As shown, a plurality of manifolds are provided inside of the tank 1, two bein shown for purposes of illustration. As s. own the lower one of these, marked 21-, extends longitudinally of the tank and can be connected to a suitable source of air supply. Tapped into the pipe 21 at equal distances therealon are vertlcal nipples 22 at the ends of whic are mounted horizontal cross pipes 23 closed at their ends and having perforations therein distributed from end to. end. One of these pipes 23, with its support-in nipple 22, is shown in detail in Fi 6. T e upperpi e 24 extends transverse y of the tank an is connected to a suitable source of air supply. It will be understood that more than one of these pipes 24 can be provided if the tank is long enough to make them necessary. he pipe 24 carries nipples 25 and horizontally perfora-ted pipes 26 similar to the nipples and pipes 22 and 23 already described.

It will be understood that the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6 has certain features of advantage for some classes of work, as the air supply system is entirely self-contained. and can be easily removed for repair or cleaning. It is necessary to provide ut one; (or possibly two) apertures for each set of pipes as contrasted with thirt or more for the construction shown in igs. 1 to 3.

The air supply pipes of the two sets, while preferably arranged at ri ht angles to each other, used not necessari y be so arranged and can, if desired, be arranged parallel to each other. Such an arrangement is shown in Fig. 7. In Fig. 7 I have-shown inside headers 21,- 21 for the supply pipes 23, 23, but it will be understood that elther of the means already described for mountin and connecting the supply ipes can be use In Figs. 8, 9 and 10 there is shown a modified means for supplying air, this consisting of a plurality of sets of pipes which are porous instead of perforated, as are those already described. As shown, there are two sets of pipleS-2727 and 28-28 one above the other t e pipes of each set being parallel to each other and close together, and the pipes of the two sets being at right angles to each other. Each of the pipes 2727 is connected at one end into a header 29 and is closed at the other end. Preferably the closed ends of the pipe fit in sockets in a bar 30, this bar serving to support the pipes and hold them equally spaced. The plpes 28-28 are connected with a header 31 arranged at right angles to the header 29 and for the opposite closed ends of the pipes 28-28 there is provided a bar 32 siml ar to the bar 30 above referred to. The two headers 29 and 31 are suitably connected with a source of air supply.

Preferably each of the headers 29 and 31 iseonnected with the air supply by means 04 vertical pipes 32'an'd 33, which can be located in a groove or housing at the sides of the tank, as shown.

Each of the pi 27-2T and 28-28 1s porous, it prefera fy being. formed of some homogeneous porous celain or carborundum. As shown in Fig. 10, however, a pipe which is in effect porous can be constructed by providing a metallic pipe 34 with numerous relatively large perforations and winding upon it layers of canvas 35.

Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are diagrams illus trating the amount of orous surface which is exposed with di ercnt constructions. Fig. 11 shows a simple horizontal porous plate such as has heretofore been used, the porous area of this plate bein the same as the horizontal cross area of t e receptacle. Fig. 12 shows a porous pipe construction such as that shown in Figs. 8 and 9, with the exception that the upper halves of the pipes are enameled, as indicated at 36, or otherwise made impervious. With some kinds of ore diflic'ulty is sometimes experi enced because of the settling of the ore upon the porous air supply surfaces, causing them to become clogged. With the upper surfaces of the pipes made impervious, as described, a smooth surface, is provided upon which the ore does not readily stick and which cannot be detrimentally affected even if the ore does collect upon it.

And it will be noted that with the construction shown in Fig. 12, even with the upper surfaces of the pipes made ineflective, the total porous surface is considerably greater than with a simple plate, as shown in Fig. 11. The total surface will be from one to one and a half times the horizontal area for each set of pipes, thus making from two to three times thehoiizontal cross area for the two sets of pipes as shown.

Fig. 13 shows pipes porous on the tops and bottoms, this being the construction illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. Here the porous surface is twice as great as in the construction shown in Fig. 12 and is from four to in times as great as the surface of the sim le plate shown in Fig. 11.

at I claim is:

1. The combination of a pulp rece tacle, and two stationary air delivering and bubble forming devices respectively positioned in a plurality of vertically separated horizontal planes and each arra ed transversely across the pulrecepta ble, to deliver a stratum of bubb es over substantially the entire creep area of the pulp and each comprising a plurality of parallel pipes and means for supplying air thereto, each ipe being adapted to deliver fine streams 0 air uniformly distributed throughout its length and the pipes of the two devices being posimaterial, such as porinmate tioned at rig t angles to each other and the receptacle for the discharge of barren pulp,

means at the top of the receptacle for the reception of metal-carryin bubbles, and a pulp feed trough extending through the center of the receptacle extending from end to end thereof and having outward opening horizontal feed slots in its sides and arranged to form rectangular sheets of pulp extending toward the sides of the rectangular receptacle.

3. The combination of means for supplying air to the receptacle near the bottom thereof to form bubbles uniformly distributed over the horizontal cross area, means at the bottom of the receptacle for the discharge of barren ulp, means at thetop of the reoe tacle for t ereception 'of metal-marrying bu bles, a pulp feed trough extending through the center of the receptacle adapted to supply pulp to the reoeptacle, pulp supply reservoirs at the ends of the receptacle and communicating with the feed trough, and deflectors positioned at the sides of the feed trough for deflecting the bubbles outiward toward the sides of the tank, the said deflectors being adjudable to vary the angles of outward inclination thereof.

4. The combination of a receptacle, means for supplying air to the receptacle near the bottom thereof to form bubbles uniformly distributed over the horizontal cross area, means at the bottom of the receptacle for the discharge of barren pulp, means at the top of the receptacle for the rece tion of metal-carrying bubbles, a pulp fee trough extendin through the center'of the receptacle and having outwardly opening horizontal feed slots in its sides, and feed ducts at the sides of the receptacle parallel to the said feed trough and having mwardly opening horizontal feed slots in their inner sides.

5. The combination of a rectangular pulp receptacle, means for supplying air to the rec tacle near the bottom thereof to form bub les uniformly distributed over the horizontal cross area, means at the bottom of the receptacle for the discharge of barren pulp, means at the top of the receptacle for the reception of metal-carrying bubbles, a pulp feed trough extending thnough the center of the receptacle and having ontwardlyppgning horizontal feed slots in its sides, ed

a pulp receptacle,

rectangular pulp ducts at the sides of the receptacle parallel In testimony whereof, I afiix my signato the sail? feed $1311 gin? ha. 7 inwardly ture, in presence of two witnesses. o ening orizont 3 ate in eir inner si les, and pulp supply reservoirs at the ends FREDERICK FLINN' 5 of the receptacle and communicating with Witnesses:

the central feed trough and. the side feed, R031. A. Towns, ducts. CHARLES SMITH.

copies of this latent may be obtained tor the cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner 0! intents, Washington, D. G. 

